This application claims a priority based on Japanese Patent Application Nos. 2000-034263 and 2001-1221 filed on Feb. 10, 2000 and Jan. 9, 2001 respectively, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.
The present invention relates to a recording medium holder for accommodating a recording medium in which information to be supplied to an information processing apparatus is recorded, and an information providing body contained in the recording medium holder in which the recording medium is accommodated, and particularly to a recording medium holder for accommodating not only the recording medium, but also a recording device for recording data relevant to the processing of information in the information processing apparatus, and an information providing body in which the recording medium and the recording device are accommodated in the recording medium holder.
There is known such a game apparatus that when a game is executed, data relevant to the game (hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9crelevant dataxe2x80x9d) are created in connection with the execution of the game. Types of relevant data generated are for example various set-up information, instructions for playing the game which are made in response to various operations of players, information representing a game progress situation, etc. In general, a recording device for recording data can be mounted in this type of game apparatus. Therefore, when the game is interrupted, the relevant data thus created can be recorded in the recording device. Accordingly, when the game is resumed, the game can be continued from the point where it was interrupted, without re-starting the game from the first stage thereof, by using the relevant data recorded in the recording device. Further, even when the interrupted game is re-started in a different game apparatus, the game can be continued from the point where it was interrupted by using the relevant data.
In general, a user of a game apparatus purchases plural kinds of game software and executes the respective games. In this case, relevant data must be recorded every game. However, the recording device has a limited recording capacity, and thus the data amount of relevant data recordable in the recording device is also limited. Therefore, there may occur such a situation that the relevant data cannot be recorded when a game is interrupted. In order to avoid this situation, the user is required to prepare a new recording device at all times. Further, if the user enjoys many games, there would exist a plurality of recording devices in which the relevant data corresponding to various kinds of game software are recorded. In order to support this situation, it is necessary to prepare the recording device to be compatible with the game software, and store the recording device.
However, such a recording device is supplied as an attachment for a game apparatus or an optional part from a maker of the game apparatus. On the other hand, the game software used in the game apparatus is supplied from a software maker producing the game software in the form of a recording medium such as CD-ROM or the like in which the software is recorded. That is, a recording device has been hitherto supplied irrespective of a recording medium in which software is recorded. Therefore, the user himself/herself must prepare a recording device and keep the recording device having the relevant data recorded therein in connection with the corresponding game software.
This type of game apparatus is used by people in a wide age bracket from infants to older persons. Further, a plurality of members of a family usually use a game apparatus in a home. Therefore, it is necessary to enable any person to prepare and keep the recording device.
Such a problem is not limited to the game software. For example, the game apparatus originally serves as an information processing apparatus, and thus the game apparatus can be used for various purposes other than the games, such as reproduction of image, reproduction of sound, communications and other information processing. In such a situation, the recording device can be used to record relevant data generated through these various processing. In these cases as well, however, the above problem may occur. Further, the same problem may occur when a game is executed in a personal computer, the relevant data generated through the execution of the game are recorded and then the game concerned is resumed in a game apparatus, and vice versa.
An object of the present invention is to provide a recording medium holder with which any one can easily keep a recording device keeping compatibility to information of corresponding software or the like.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an information providing body with which any one can easily prepare and keep while keeping compatibility with information of corresponding software or the like, and also can make the recording device compatible with the recording medium in which the information is recorded.
In order to attain the above object, according to a first aspect of the present invention, a recording medium holder for accommodating a recording medium in which information to be supplied to an information processing apparatus is recorded, includes a first member and a second member between which a space for accommodating the recording medium and the recording device therein is formed under the state that the first and second members are confronted to each other, and a link member for linking the first and second members to each other so as to be folded so that they are confronted to each other, wherein at least one of the first and second members has a first accommodating area in which at least one recording medium to be held can be accommodated, and a second accommodating area in which at least one recording device for recording data are recorded can be accommodated, the link member has a fixing portion for fixing an auxiliary accommodating member in which at least one recording medium to be held can be accommodated, and the fixing portion is disposed so as to be fixed to the link member so that the auxiliary accommodating member is located between the first and second members.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, a recording medium holder for accommodating a recording medium in which information to be supplied to an information processing apparatus is recorded, includes a first member and a second member between which a space for accommodating the recording medium and the recording device therein is formed under the state that the first and second members are confronted to each other, a link member for linking the first and second members to each other so as to be folded so that they can be confronted to each other, and an auxiliary accommodating member fixed to the first member, wherein at least one of the first and second members has a first accommodating area in which at least one recording medium to be held can be accommodated, and a second accommodating area in which at least one recording device for recording data can be accommodated, and the auxiliary accommodating member has an area in which at least one recording medium to be held can be accommodated, and is fixed to the link member while the auxiliary accommodating member is located between the first and second members.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, an information providing body for supplying information to an information processing apparatus includes a recording medium in which information to be supplied to the information processing apparatus is recorded, a recording device for recording data and a recording medium holder for accommodating the recording medium and the recording device, wherein the recording medium holder is the recording medium holder of the first aspect of the present invention, and the recording medium is accommodated in the first accommodating area.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, an information providing body for supplying information to be supplied to an information providing body includes a recording medium for recording information to be supplied to the information processing apparatus, a recording device for recording data and a recording medium holder for accommodating the recording medium and the recording device, wherein the recording medium holder is the recording medium holder of the second aspect of the present invention and the recording medium is accommodated in at least one of the following: the first accommodating area and the auxiliary accommodating member.